The cover page below will link you to a unit I created to teach the basics of harm reduction based substance use education in intermediate through high school classrooms. This unit is an alternative to the classic “just say no to drugs” units still offered in many schools, and is in keeping with both my ethics and the evidence on preventing deaths from toxic drug supply. The unit is just a starting place, and this is heavy content so teachers will need to be prepared to talk through the learning with students in a compassionate and patient way. Some of the questions my students had with this unit required that I slow down and work through their thinking with them. Additionally, this might be initially difficult for students to wrap their head around if they have spent many years surrounded by abstinence based substance use education, this was certainly my experience with the class this unit was created for. I am hopeful that this unit will be helpful to someone and am happy to answer any questions folks may have.

In clicking the photo, you will be linked to the unit in full.